Locomotive boiler firebox



B. E. LARsoN LOCOMOTIVE BOILER FIREBOX Filed Nov. 27, 1940 May 4, 1943.

Patented May 4, 1943 LOCOMOTIVE' BOILER FIREBOX Bert E. Larson, Park Ridge, Ill., assignor to Locomotive Firebox Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application November 27, 1940, Serial No. 367,351

Claims. (Cl. 122-68) This invention relates to improvements in locomotive boiler i'eboxes and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is more especially concerned 5 The rebox is enclosed by a top plate ,Il with fireboxes of the kind equipped with soand the usual side plates l2 which, together called syphons having an inlet neck which with the outside throat plate I3 and back plate opens laterally through the lower front sec- I4 are usually Called the Wrapper Of the boiltion of the adjacent side sheet. A rebox of er. The back sheet 5 and back plate I4 are this kind is illustrated and described in United formed t0 provide a fuel door Opening |5 States Letters Patent No. 1,821,527 granted to The sheets and plates mentioned define the Edward J. Reardon on September 1, 1931. side water legs I6 and front and rear water In reboxes of the kind described, it is diflegs l? and I8 0f the boiler Wheh are Closed cult because of the lateral inlet neck of the at their bottom ends by tiie mud ring I9. The syphons in the rebox, to provide 2,. re arch sheets oi the firebox and the outer or wrapper therein which does not have openings permitplates are staybolted together in the usual manting the passage of gases therethrough. ner.

One of the objects of the present invention Within the lebOX iS IOCated a pail' 0f latis to provide in such a rebox a fire arch that erally spaced hollow elements 2li which funcis so constructed as to prevent the passaggof tion to conduct water from the forward botgases therethrough to such an extent as to in- 170m end 0f the Side Water legs Of the bOiler terfere with proper combustion under the arch. t0 a Space 2| above the CI'OWn Sheet. 'I'hese Another object of the invention is to provide elements are 0f the type knOWn aS the NChOlan arch for a rebox of this kind wherein cer- SOn theimiC SyDhOntain of the .brick thereof have edge portions Each element includes a substantially trianformed to engage the curvedinlet neck of the guiar Shaped fiat rhollow body 22 with an up- Syphons for a substdntiei Support thereon in a wardly and rearwardlyvvinclined bulged bottom wey providing e tight ieakiess fit thereon, 23. The sides of said body are staybolted to- The above mentioned objects of the inve`n eether and form at the top thereof a longitiony as Wei] as others, together with thev adtudinally elongated discharge opening that is vantages thereof will more fully appear as the defined by an OlltWaldlY eXtenOling flange 24 specication proceeds to describe the preferred Xed in an Opening in the Crown Sheet. The embodiment thereof bulged bottom portion of each syphon extends 1n the drawing; forwardly and downwardly beyond the body in Fig. i is a iongituoinai 'vertical sectional view 35 the form of a Supply tube 25. This tube is bent through a, utero] inlet neck Syphon equipped on a curve 26 of generous radius and extends locomotive boiler type fireboX embodying one laterally toward the adjacent side sheet to form form of the invention, v an inlet neck 2l that opens through and is Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View through Xed in the adjacent Side Sheet 'l toward its the lrebox shown in Fig. 1 as taken on the 40 bottom- 1ine 2 2 thereof- 1 In connection with the above mentioned con- Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical detail sectional struction, I Provide a fire alCh in the from end View through e, part of the reloox ne teken on of the rebox which is made of fire bricks, certhe iine 3 3 of Fig 2 tain ones of which are of peculiar shape. Said Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical detail sectionai 45 fire bricks are arranged as two side sets 28-28, view through a part of the rebox as taken on an intermediate set 29 and a -front end set 30 as the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. best indicated in Fig. 2.

Referring now in deteu to that embodiment The bricks in both side sets and in the interof the invention illustrated in the accompanymediate set are disposed with their length aring drawing, the locomotive boiler lreboX thereranged tranSVeTSelY Of the iebOX, While the in shown comprises a fire chamber which exbricks in the front end set are disposed with their tends from the back sheet 5 to the flue sheet 'length arranged longitudinally of the firebox.

6 and from one to the other of the side sheets In the present instance, each set of side bricks 1, the topv of the firebox being formed by the is shown as seven in number and bearing the nucrownsheet 8.- The lower part of the flue sheet merals 3l, 32, 33, 34', 35, 36 and 31, beginning tois made to form the inside throat sheet 9. The usual ues indicated at I0 are secured at one end to that part of the flue sheet above the throat sheet.

Ward the front end of the rebox. The rst brick 3| in each side set, beginning at the front end, has a curved portion 38 constituting one side and an end for the brick and this curved portion rests upon the rear side of the inlet neck 21 and a part of the curved portion 26 of the supply tube 25 of the associated syphon. The second brick, 32, in each side set, has a curved end portion 39 for engaging upon another part of the curved portion 26 of the associated syphon and this curvature forms a continuation of the curvature of the curved portion 38 of the front end brick 3|. The other ve bricks in each set are rectangular and are formed at their inner ends to engage upon the bulged bottom 23 of the associated syphon body for partial support. The outer ends of all the bricks in each side set rest upon lugs 4|) (see Fig. 3) on the associated side sheet 1 for support of that end of said bricks. If desired, the bricks 33, 34, 35, 36 and 31 may each be constituted by hinged interlocking sections as indicated at 4| in Fig. 3.

The bricks in the intermediate row 29 of bricks are preferably six in number and are so shown and beginning at the front end of this set they bear the numerals 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, and 41.

The front end brick in this set or row has reversely curved ends 48-48 to engage upon opposite outside parts of the curved portions 26 of the supply tubes 25 of both syphons. The iront edge of the brick 42 carries a shoulder 42'al (see Fig. l) which is disposed in a plane below the top surface of the brick. Said shoulder stops at its ends against the oute part of the curved portion 26 of the supply tubes of both syphons. 'Ihis shoulder is disposed in a plane forwardly of the seam afforded by the meeting side edges of the first two bricks 3| and 32 in the side sets or rows 28-28 as best appears in Fig. 2.

The second brick 43 in the intermediate row has straight end edges which are formed to rest upon the bulged portion 23 oi both syphons 20. The last four bricks 44, 45, 46 and 41 in this set, are all of the same width but narrower than the brick 43. Each one of said bricks is cut away at both ends to supportingly engage upon the bulged portion of both syphons. It is apparent from the above that all of the bricks in the intermediate set are wholly supported from the bulged portion 23 and the tubular, curved and inlet end portions of both syphons in the iirebox.

Regarding the bricks in the iront end row or set 30, I nd it convenient, in the present instance, to use nine bricks therein. This divides the set into smaller units, which may be readily handled within a confined space such as afforded by the location of the tubular necks of the syphons in the front end of the rebox. The bricks in this set extend longitudinally of the firebox and I divide the same into three center bricks 49, 50 and 5| respectively, two pairs of side bricks 52 and 53 and two bricks 54 and 55, one disposed between tWo side bricks 52-53 and the center bricks and 49 respectively.

vThe center bricks 49, 5U and 5| are the longest of the front end set of bricks 30. They are substantially rectangular in plan and rest in supporting engagement at their vfront ends upon supporting lugs 56 carried by the front throat sheet. The rear end of each` of these bricks is formed as a lip 51 to rest in supporting engagement upon the shoulder 42a of the b-rick 42. The rear end, outer corners of the bricks 49 and 5| are undercutto engage upon an outer part of the curved portion 26 of the adjacent inlet neck of the syphons. y

The end bricks 52 and 53 rest in supporting engagement upon the front throat sheet and the rear ends of said bricks are undercut to rest in supporting engagement upon the inlet neck end 21 of the supply tube of the associated syphon. The intermediate bricks 54-55 each rests at its front end on lugs 5tEL on the front throat sheet 9 and the rear end is curved as Well as undercut to rest for supporting engagement upon said curved portion 2G of the supply tubes of both syphons.

With the center bricks 49-50 and 5| of this set engaged upon the shoulder 152a of the brick 42 of the intermediate set 29, said bricks are supported at their rear ends thereupon and at the same time take the sliding end thrust of the brick in said set 29 in a manner keeping them in their intended position.

As is apparent from the above in connection with Fig. 2, an indeed tight arch is provided in a curved neck syphon equipped rebox. Therefore, there are no holes in the arch for the passage of gases therethrough so that no interference is present to prevent proper combustion of the fuel under the arch.

With the construction described, should any one brick require replacement after a period of use, the entire arch need not be dismantled for such a replacement.

While in describing my invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a locomotive boiler type of rebox having side, front and crown sheets, a plurality of laterally spaced Water steaming and circulating elements in the rebox and each including an upwardly and rearwardly inclined longitudinal portion and a tubular inlet neck portion at one end connected thereto by a curved portion and extending laterally toward and opening through the adjacent side sheet, the other end of said longitudinal portion opening through one of the other sheets of the rebox at an elevation above that of the end of the inlet neck portion, and a fire arch in the front portion of the reboX, and composed of sets of bricks, the bricks in some of said sets extending transversely of the firebox and the bricks in another of said sets extending longitudinally of the firebox, certain of the transversely extending bricks having supporting engagement upon longitudinal portions of said elements and upon the side sheets respectively and other of said transversely extending bricks, together with certain of the longitudinally extending bricks having curved portions for supporting engagement upon the curved portions of said element, at least certain of the longitudinally extending bricks engaging upon the front sheet for partial support thereby and others of said transversely extending bricks being disposed between parts of said elements and having supporting engagement thereon.

2. In combination with a locomotive boiler type of rebox having side, front and crown sheets, a plurality of laterally spaced water steaming and circulating elements in the firebox and each including an upwardly andrearwardly inclined longitudinal portion and a tubular inlet neck portion at one end connected thereto b-y a curved portion and extending laterally toward and opening through the adjacent side sheet, the other end of said longitudinal portion opening through one of the other sheets of the rebo-X at an elevation labove that of the end of the inlet neck portion, and a re arch in the front part of the rebox and composed of side, intermediate and front end sets of bricks, the bricks in the side and intermediate sets extending transversely of the rebox, the bricks in the intermediate set being formed for supporting engagement upon the longitudinal portion of'said elements and upon parts of the curved portion thereof, the bricks in the sido sets being formed for supporting engagement upon the side sheets of the rebox and upon parts of the longitudinal portion of said elements as well as upon said tubular inlet neck portions and said curved portions, the bricks in the front end set extending longitudinally of the firebox and having supporting engagement at one end upon the front sheet, the bricks in the last mentioned set having supporting engagement at the other end upon said curved portions of said elements and upon one of the brick in the intermediate set.

3. In combination with a locomotive boiler type of iirebox having side, front and crown sheets, a pair of laterally spaced substantially rigid water steaming and circulating elements disposed in the iirebox and each having an elongated discharge end that opens through the crown sheet and a'tubular inlet neck portion that curves downwardly and laterally outward toward the adjacent side sheet to open through the associated corner of the rebox near the bottom thereof, and a fire arch in the front part of the iirebox and composed of sets of side, intermediate and front end bricks, the bricks in the intermediate set being wholly supported upon said elements, the bricks in said side sets being supported in part from said side sheets and in part from said elements and the bricks in the front end set being supported in part from said front sheet, in part from said inlet neck portion of said elements and in part from one of the brick in the intermediate set.

4. In combination with a locomotive boiler type of rebox having side, front and crown sheets, a plurality of laterally spaced Water steaming and circulating elements in the irebox and each including an upwardly and rearwardly inclined longitudinal portion and a laterally curved inlet neck portion extending from one end thereof toward and opening through the adjacent side sheet, the other end of said longitudinal portion opening through one of the other sheets of the firebox at an elevation above that of the inlet neck portion, and. a fire arch in the front part of the firebox composed of bricks arranged as two side sets, an intermediate set and afront end set, the bricks in the intermediate set extending transversely of the i'lrebox and the frontmost brick therein being spaced from the front sheet of the firebox and having curved sides engaging upon the curved portion of said Water steaming and circulating elements and those bricks to thev rear of the said frontmost brick engaging on the longitudinal portion of said elements, all of the bricks in the side sets having supporting engagement at one side upon the adjacent side sheets of the iirebox, the frontmost brick in each side set having a curved edge engaging upon the curved portion of the adjacent element and certain of the bricks in each side set rearwardly of the rontmost brick of the set engaging upon the longitudinal portion of the associated element, all of the bricks in the front end set extendinglongitudinally of the rebox and engaging at one end upon said front sheet, the central bricks in the front end set engaging upon the frontmost bricks of the intermediate set and the side bricks of said front end set engaging upon the curved portion of the associated element.

5. In combination with a locomotive boiler type of rebox having side, front and crown sheets, a plurality of laterally spaced water steaming and circulating elements in the rebox and each including an upwardly and rearwardly inclined longitudinal portion and a laterally curved inlet neck portion extending from one end thereof toward and opening through the adjacent side sheet, the other end of said longitudinal portion opening through one of the other sheets of the rebox at an elevation above that c of the inlet neck portion, and a re arch in the front part of the iirebox composed of bricks most brick in each side set having a curved edge engaging upon the curved portion of the adjacent element and certain of the bricks in each side set rearwardly of the frontmost brick of the set engaging upon the longitudinal portion of the associated element, all of the bricks in the front end set extending longitudinally of the lirebox and engaging at one end upon said front sheet, the central bricks in the front end set being longer than the side bricks in said set and engaging at their ends upon the frontmost brick in the intermediate set, said side bricks of said set engagingA at their front ends upon the curved portion of the adjacent elements.

BERT E. LARSON. 

